One thing has me feeling better about the defense going forward...

[YoloinOhio]

On 11/16/2020 at 9:38 AM, streetkings01 said:

McDermott and Frazier seem to do a good job with a game plan for young inexperienced quarterbacks on defense. I feel good about our defense facing Tua, Herbert, Mullins and  Lock, not so confident facing Big Ben and Cam again.  I think we come out of these next 6 games at 4-2 and finish the year 11-5 and AFC East Champs. 

Our defense looked good last year facing young inexperienced QBs......it was the vets that usually lit us up.

Not confident about facing Cam? It’s week 11 and he’s thrown 3 TDs. All season.  Herbert is the best QB left on our schedule imo. 

Edited November 18, 2020 by YoloinOhio

[Putin]

24 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

I think there’s no doubt that a healthy Matt Milano will help the defense.

 

The concern many of us have is the defensive line - in particular the middle of the d-line.  It seems like there aren’t any good players who can play 1 technique DT.

 

- Vernon Butler is probably the best option but he hasn’t played great and has struggled to stay healthy.

- Quentin Jefferson is better suited for DE

- Harrison Phillips hasn’t been good

- Justin Zimmer is probably better at 3 technique 

 

Until we find someone who can give us competent play next to Ed Oliver, I can’t see this team improving drastically against the run

Aren’t we second  in AFC only behind Steelers in sacks ?

[Rubes]

The defense does seem to be improving in some areas, but I still find it hard to get too excited when a team they had held to 9 points midway through the 3rd quarter ended up with 32.

 

I mean, that’s just not good.

[billsfan89]

On 11/16/2020 at 6:42 AM, wvbillsfan said:

All that easy stuff across the middle with Taron Johnson getting toasted every third down has stopped. 
Pass defense looks to be where it was last year. 
Love the aggressive pressure and zone blitzes we are bringing. When we crowd the A gap we are a better defense. 
 

Arrow up for our defense to close the year 

 

This team was hurting for a bye so to speak. They really needed to Edumomnds and Milano back healthy to get LB play back up to speed. The team also in general is banged up and needs a bye badly.

[PaoloBillsFanFromItaly]

I think the defense is improving, but it is not nearly at the same level as the past two years.

Past two years when a ball travelled more than 15 yds downfield I was sure that the pass would have been deflected or at least contested, receiver had always to make a tough catch.

This year I still see busted coverages where receiver is alone catching the ball.

 

But the thing concerning me the most is the running between tackles, we were under par even when we had a top defense, and now we are struggling a lot.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

On 11/16/2020 at 9:42 AM, SCBills said:

The defense has absolutely improved the last 2 weeks.  It does seem like they are figuring things out.  They're not a Top 5 defense, but they show signs of being good enough to where we don't need our offense to be on it's A game against good teams to win.  

 

That said, I really don't feel like complimenting the defense today.  For 8 weeks, they were one of the worst defenses in the league and they just provided Bills fans with one of the most gut-wrenching sporting event losses any of us have ever experienced.

 

 

Using Expected points from Pro football reference - buffalo has played 5 of the top 7 offenses through week 10.  

 

Tennessee - 5-1 when they get a takeaway.  They've only turned it over 4 times all year.  They lost last week on special teams blunders, and had a backup punter.  Usually the punt unit is solid.  

KC - No explanation needed.

Seattle - Crazy good pass game, seem to have hit the skids recently.

Arizona - best rushing attack in the NFL.  Most yards in the NFL, with a game in hand on buffalo.

Vegas - Good all around unit.  Don't turn it over, move the sticks, good run game.

 

Buffalo lost 3 of these games (almost 2), but they really shot themselves in the foot against Tenn, which you can't do if you want to beat them.  I think they can possibly beat them in a rematch using some of what they did against wilson and murray.  I think their rushing attack is a bit overrated. 

[BillsMafia13]

Getting a bunch of key players back after the bye too 👍

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

3 hours ago, PaoloBillsFanFromItaly said:

I think the defense is improving, but it is not nearly at the same level as the past two years.

Past two years when a ball travelled more than 15 yds downfield I was sure that the pass would have been deflected or at least contested, receiver had always to make a tough catch.

This year I still see busted coverages where receiver is alone catching the ball.

 

But the thing concerning me the most is the running between tackles, we were under par even when we had a top defense, and now we are struggling a lot.

 

List of some of the QBs buffalo played in 2019:

Duck Hodges

Dwayne Haskins

Brandon Allen

Eli Manning

Andy Dalton

Marcus Mariota

Sam Darnold x2

Fitzpatrick x2

 

2018 I find tricky to evaluate since they did so absolutely terrible on offense.  Like - the defense has good yardage numbers - but they somehow got blown out in a game where they gave up less than 200 yards.  Poor rushing defense and no particular need to throw a ton into the defense.  

[Mr. WEO]

On 11/16/2020 at 9:45 AM, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

Defensively they played a pretty good game excluding one play, (can't recall which one it was).  Think part of the issue in the 2nd half was the offensive either turned the ball over or punted consecutively on was it 4 series and the defense at that point was gassed.  The drives with all the punts were the killers.

 

 

They gave up 17 points in 1/2 of the 3rd Q, wiping out a 2 TD lead.  If the D is "gassed" in the 3rd Q after a nice halftime rest, it's a problem...

[SCBills]

20 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

They gave up 17 points in 1/2 of the 3rd Q, wiping out a 2 TD lead.  If the D is "gassed" in the 3rd Q after a nice halftime rest, it's a problem...

 

I don't know that this is completely fair..  Arizona, along with Buffalo, Seattle and KC etc. have the top offenses in the league - They were going to score some points. 

 

Our defense held them down in the first half, and then out of halftime forced a turnover to give the offense the ball on a short field.  

 

After the TD to go up 14, our offense proceeded to be absolutely terrible until the final drive... this included 2 turnovers and a shanked punt.

 

If our defense didn't give up that absurd hail mary, i'd say they did a decent job on Sunday.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2020 by SCBills

[JerseyBills]

On 11/16/2020 at 9:38 AM, streetkings01 said:

McDermott and Frazier seem to do a good job with a game plan for young inexperienced quarterbacks on defense. I feel good about our defense facing Tua, Herbert, Mullins and  Lock, not so confident facing Big Ben and Cam again.  I think we come out of these next 6 games at 4-2 and finish the year 11-5 and AFC East Champs. 

Our defense looked good last year facing young inexperienced QBs......it was the vets that usually lit us up.

Agreed 

Except I wouldn't be surprised if we won all 6 games but I believe 11-5 or 12-4.

Only way Mia beats us is if we're resting starters cause we clinched the East

This bye came late but gives us a great opportunity to get ready for this playoff push. 

[Big Turk]

On 11/16/2020 at 9:42 AM, wvbillsfan said:

All that easy stuff across the middle with Taron Johnson getting toasted every third down has stopped. 
Pass defense looks to be where it was last year. 
Love the aggressive pressure and zone blitzes we are bringing. When we crowd the A gap we are a better defense. 
 

Arrow up for our defense to close the year 

 

Yup...hard when the QB is getting pressured to wait for the receivers to get open and have time to go through progressions, they have to get rid of it quickly.

[Mr. WEO]

1 hour ago, SCBills said:

 

I don't know that this is completely fair..  Arizona, along with Buffalo, Seattle and KC etc. have the top offenses in the league - They were going to score some points. 

 

Our defense held them down in the first half, and then out of halftime forced a turnover to give the offense the ball on a short field.  

 

After the TD to go up 14, our offense proceeded to be absolutely terrible until the final drive... this included 2 turnovers and a shanked punt.

 

If our defense didn't give up that absurd hail mary, i'd say they did a decent job on Sunday.

 

 

 

 

I think it is---and this is not the first (or the second) time this has happened.  They cough up leads in the second half--forcing Allen to rack up another comeback.

 

In the second half, the Bills D had only 3 stops (int, 2 punts) while allowing 23 points.  No one gets credit for shutting down an Offense in the 1st half.  Allen/Diggs/Beasley gave them back the lead at the very end.  The "absurdity" of the hail mary was that the Bills only rushed 4 guys.   This left 3 Defenders nowhere near Murray or the End Zone.  Terrible call.

[BFLO]

1 hour ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

They gave up 17 points in 1/2 of the 3rd Q, wiping out a 2 TD lead.  If the D is "gassed" in the 3rd Q after a nice halftime rest, it's a problem...

When the Bills offense can't sustain a drive and goes 3 and out or turns the ball over every possession they're essentially giving the opposing offense unlimited possession of the ball. The Bills end up essentially on defense for the entire 3rd and 4th quarters. When you give the opposing offense unlimited time they are going to score. 

 

This team needs to figure out how to sustain long drives in the 2nd half. They don't even need to score, just drain the clock. That's what winning franchise's do, they get a lead and then they keep the ball so the other team can't come back. Where are the 8 minute 15 play drives in the 3rd or 4th quarter when we have a lead? Instead we use up 45 seconds and give the ball back to the other team. 

 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

3 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

They gave up 17 points in 1/2 of the 3rd Q, wiping out a 2 TD lead.  If the D is "gassed" in the 3rd Q after a nice halftime rest, it's a problem...

 

With just under 10 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter, for roughly the next 22 minutes of the game, Az ran 27 plays to Buffalo's 14 plays.  So that's how you get gassed. 

 

Actually Buffalo probably ran close to 20 plays if including all that were called back for penalties.

[Pokebball]

On 11/16/2020 at 1:03 PM, noacls said:

Improvement? Last 3 game average they are giving up 29 points, 253 passing yards, 154 rushing yards.  They should have lost to NE. Changes have to be made or the playoffs may be a dream. 

You have to consider the teams played, especially the last two weeks, right?  Or no?

[Saxum]

14 hours ago, whatdrought said:

I mean, I struggle to imagine they’ll have an answer for Tua and his 175 yards a game... he’s practically a god.

 

Likely the answer will be to rest Tua for playoffs.

[Saxum]

4 hours ago, dneveu said:

Buffalo lost 3 of these games (almost 2), but they really shot themselves in the foot against Tenn, which you can't do if you want to beat them.  I think they can possibly beat them in a rematch using some of what they did against wilson and murray.  I think their rushing attack is a bit overrated. 

 

Tennessee shot Buffalo in foot with constant delays and NFL allowing them to get healthy throwing Buffalo off schedule which resulted in a short turn around game against KC,

[Mr. WEO]

16 minutes ago, BFLO said:

When the Bills offense can't sustain a drive and goes 3 and out or turns the ball over every possession they're essentially giving the opposing offense unlimited possession of the ball. The Bills end up essentially on defense for the entire 3rd and 4th quarters. When you give the opposing offense unlimited time they are going to score. 

 

This team needs to figure out how to sustain long drives in the 2nd half. They don't even need to score, just drain the clock. That's what winning franchise's do, they get a lead and then they keep the ball so the other team can't come back. Where are the 8 minute 15 play drives in the 3rd or 4th quarter when we have a lead? Instead we use up 45 seconds and give the ball back to the other team. 

 

 

 

Where are the 3 and outs?  Winning franchises are allowed to prevent the opposing teams from scoring at will in the 3rd Q blowing big leads.

 

You're basically saying that it's up to the Offense to make up for blown leads by the D in the second half.  

 

 

Against the Dolphins, the Bills had a modest lead going into the 4th Q (again, agaisnt the Dolphins).  In the 4th Q, the O scored 14 more points.  The D, however, gave up 15 points in the 4th--the Dolphins comeback only dying on a failed onside kick.    The Bills scored 31 points.

 

Against the Rams, the Bills held a 28-3 lead until under 6 minutes into the 3rd Q.  In 15 minutes, they gave up 29 points. Allen leads the winning comeback drive  ( a comeback...after leading by 25 points late in the 3rd!!).  Bills score 35 points.

 

Against NE they were trading TDs against Cam Newton and NE scrubs.  It took a FF by Zimmer to stop a game tying/winning drive by a team that should have been blown out.

 

And then of course the Cards.  Another sizeable lead later in the game evaporated.  Bills comeback to take the lead.  Defense lets Murray scramble all over the field until he throws the perfect hail mary.  Bill score 32.

 

So in each game where the D struggled, the Bills averaged 30.5 points scored.    Daboll can't figure out how to make a running game work (save for 1 game), I'll give you that.  But this D can't hold a lead.  

 

 

 

[Mr. WEO]

2 hours ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

With just under 10 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter, for roughly the next 22 minutes of the game, Az ran 27 plays to Buffalo's 14 plays.  So that's how you get gassed. 

 

Actually Buffalo probably ran close to 20 plays if including all that were called back for penalties.

 

 

The Cards scored  in 23 plays--all in the 3rd Q.  Don't want it to be 23 plays?  make it 3 three and outs.  If a D cannot get off the field that's their problem.  AZ Defense was getting off the field. 

 

Patient; "Doc, I get really tired doing this"

 

Doc: "stop doing that"....